The Loud Heist: One Last Job
by Nostalgiah
Summary: Times are tough as Royal Woods is hit with a financial crisis, forcing Lincoln to chose a life of crime, getting him mixed up with a bad group. After his life and the life of his family is threaten, Lincoln must do one last job so his family can escape. Even if he must risk his Life & Freedom for them.
1. Chapter 1: Good kid, LOUD city

_**This story is inspired and dedicated to CaptainDarko**_

* * *

 **Two Years Ago**

The sounds of shouting could be heard from the inside of the small building. An argument breaking out as glass was shattering, followed by more screaming demands. A muffled bang went off as two pair of footsteps came running through the door, making a chiming sound you would hear from a corner store.

The duo ran through the alleyway, knocking over trashcans and hopping fences as sirens started to fade into the background. One of the pairs stopped to catch his breath behind a wall as he grabbed his partner behind the wall to hide too.

"*Gasp* Holy shit dude… we did it… Man, that was awesome!" One said trying to catch his breath.

"What the fuck Clyde?!... You didn't have to shoot him. I had it under control!" The other said, pushing his friend against the wall in anger.

"Chill out Lincoln. Besides, your way was taking too long. He was also eyeballing me… I didn't like it."

"Clyde he could be dead! We agreed not to use lethal force." Lincoln was walking around, looking to see if the cops were patrolling near them.

"I shot him in the arm, he'll be fine… Oh boy Linc was that exciting. The rush is amazing!" Clyde was starting to act strange, to strange for Lincoln's taste. He didn't like this Clyde, something was changing him.

"Just-… Forget it. We got the money. Come on, let's get out of here."

Lincoln and Clyde ran over to where they hid their bikes and hoped on, pedaling away back to their block as if they were just regular teens on a stroll.

* * *

 **Present Day**

It was a dreary morning in Royal Woods as all was quiet in the Loud house, all of the occupants asleep except for one young man who was just starting to wake up. Lincoln Loud was getting up from his bed to start his day, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes as he looked to see the time on his alarm clock. 5 o' clock in the morning wasn't usually the time he would wake up. But today was different. Today he had a meeting with his 'boss', and she didn't like to wait.

Lincoln put on his clothes, slipped on his sneakers, and grabbed his keys as he stepped out of his room. He silently walked down the dark hallway, not wanting to wake any of his sisters. He stepped on one of the squeaky floorboards, halting in his step to see if he woke anyone up. He was clear. He reached the staircase and descended, thinking back to earlier times. The Loud house sure seen its fair share of abuse, but it still managed to hold and look new. Now though, with most of Michigan seeing hard times as jobs were harder to come by and lack of property and city repairs… the house wasn't in the best of shape. The rampant corruption of politicians and crooked cops didn't help the city either.

Once Lincoln reached the bottom of the steps and walked toward the living room, he paused to find Lori passed out on the couch, still fully dressed in her work clothes. She must have had a hard day since she decided to crash on the couch, throwing her purse on the table and her heels laying on the floor by the sofa. Lincoln walked over and lifted her up gently, carrying her bridal style. He carried her to her room… which was their parent's old room. He laid Lori down, pulling the blanket over her. He placed a quick kiss on her head as he walked out the room, closing the door.

Lincoln put on his field jacket and headed outside. He was met with the cold December wind against his face. He started walking to his car, his most prize possession, a 1969 mustang. It wasn't much, since it looked like shit. It was rusty and a bit banged up, but the heater worked and could still outrun anyone that dares challenge him. He thanked good old Detroit muscle and Lana, who had the parts and tools to help him repair it. He got inside his car and put the key in the ignition. Once he heard his precious purr, he drove off to his first destination.

He drove through the snowy roads, passing by the mall which soon would be pact with cars as people started their Christmas shopping. He passed by his High School that he was lucky enough to graduate from, remembering all the fights he got into. Before heading toward the outskirts of Royal Woods, he passed by Flip's Food & Fuel. It was boarded up, completely abandoned. He hated driving by Flip's. It reminded him of his childhood… and where his childhood died.

Lincoln arrived, pulling into the parking lot and turning of his car. He reached over to the glove box and retrieved the package for his boss before stepping out and locking the door. He walked toward the establishment, felling the vibration of the music. He couldn't believe they were still open at this time. He stopped and stared at the neon sign of the gentlemen's club, _'The Den'_ is what they called it. Lincoln hated this place with a dying passion, and for good reasons.

Lincoln entered the dimly lit room as he passed by the bouncer. He observed his surroundings, seeing just a few customers throwing bills at the stripper on stage. He saw the DJ who was leaning back on his chair, sleeping. He set his eyes on the bar and went over to take a seat at the far end. He looked to his right seeing all but one stool empty. The mas was wasted as he drooled onto the table.

"What can I get you handsome?" The bartender asked as she leaned forward, trying to show off her cleavage.

Lincoln just stared straight into her eyes, grinning. He liked seeing their reactions when he didn't fall for their antics. "Just give me a coke, beautiful."

"Heh, you sure you're into girls Lincoln? I didn't see those baby blue eyes linger, and I'm all woman~." She said as she poured Lincoln his drink and slid it to him.

"I'm sure you are… Becky," Lincoln said, taking a sip from his glass.

"Anyway, the 'boss' wants to see you," Becky said as she snatched the cherry in Lincoln's drink, putting it in her mouth as she sucked on it seductively. " _Mmmm_ … If you ever want to _meet up_ … _again_ , you know where to find me~."

Lincoln grinned at Becky as he tipped her. He stood up and walked to the back of the club where the 'boss' was. He reached the door to her office, knocking four times. He waited as he heard the door unlock. Lincoln stepped inside, the door quickly shut closed behind him as her personal guard stood in front of it. Lincoln knew the drill and spread his arms wide. The guard searched him until he gave his boss the all clear.

Lincoln was in front of her desk as she finished eating her salad.

"Hello Lincoln." She said, her voice having a slight Eastern European accent. Lincoln watched carefully as she poured some whisky in her glass. He noticed her well maintained nails as she brought the glass to her lips. They were tender, her lipstick dark red as it left a print on the rim of the glass. Her skin was creamy white with no sign of wrinkles on her face. For a woman in her early 40's, she was beautiful, and he hated her. Hated her for what she has done to _him_. What she has done to _them_.

"Sasha," Lincoln replied with no hint of emotion.

"Take a seat. Relax. We're all friends here." Sasha leaned back in her chair, crossing her leg over the other. "Care for a drink?"

"Thanks… but I can't. A year shy, remember?" _Not that I've had before_.

"Of course, how silly of me. But it's not like it will hurt anyone…. You have done worse things… and great things~." She lightly licked her lips at the end of her comment.

Lincoln didn't flinch even if he felt violated. He went to reach into his jacket when her bodyguard was about to draw his gun. Lincoln raised up his hands, telling him to 'calm down' before opening the left side of his jacket and pulling out a package. He handed Sasha the package, stepping back as she took it from him.

"Everything went smoothly. No one saw us," Lincoln said.

"Excellent work… my Krolik," Sasha said as she opened the package, emptying the jewels onto her desk. She then waved to her guard to leave them. "Ivan, leave us."

Once her bodyguard left, she handed Lincoln an envelope. "Your next assignment."

"We'll handle it. Now, for my cut?" Lincoln asked.

Sasha turned around to open the safe behind her. She took the money and walked up to Lincoln, handing over his payment. As Lincoln was reaching for it she pulled the envelope of money back before he could grab it.

"I almost forgot… I haven't shown you me gratitude." Sasha walked up to Lincoln placing one hand on his chest. She grabbed him by the jacket as she collided her lips with his, giving him a lustful kiss. Lincoln closed his eyes as her free hand slid down and grabbed Lincoln's crotch through his jeans. After a few seconds she pulled back as a strain of saliva connected their lips.

She handed Lincoln his payment as she walked back to sit by her desk. "You are dismissed… Lincoln~."

"Yes ma'am."

Lincoln walked out of her office heading down the hallway as he wiped his mouth of any remaining marks from Sasha. Did he feel anything from her ' _gratitude_ '? Yes, and he hated himself for it. But who wouldn't feel something from a beautiful woman…? Even if she was a cruel, sadistic, mob boss.

Lincoln walked toward the dressing rooms where the girls would get ready. He walked through the red curtains, passing by a few of the strippers who were ready to leave. Another two walked by him, topless, giving Lincoln a flirtatious look and giggling as they stepped on stage to practice their routine. Lincoln just kept his suave face on, but on the inside, he pitied these girls. _'They deserve better'_ Lincoln thought.

Lincoln entered through the door that lead to one of the changing rooms. His eyes were greeted with the bare back of a woman, light freckles sprinkled on her shoulders, and her soft brown locks ending just at the nape of her neck. Lincoln's hormones got the best of him and slowly lowered his gaze down her back, landing on her plump rear. Lincoln instantly looked away, trying to be modest. _'Damn my perverted mind.'_

The girl reached behind her to strap the hook of her bra before sitting back down by her vanity. "Show's over perv, come back tomorrow."

"Ehh… strip clubs aren't really my thing," Lincoln replied back in a teasing tone.

"Aah Lincoln!? You startled me…" The girl said gasping from her surprised.

"Sorry. So… you ready to go?" Lincoln asked her.

"Yep, just let me grab my coat."

They walked out into the main lobby as they headed toward the front doors. They turned to see Becky waving goodbye as she was putting on her uggs, also ready to head out. "Byyeee Lincoln~… see ya around… Luna."

"See ya luv." Luna winked at Becky as Lincoln gave her a quick salute.

They walked through the parking lot, reaching Lincoln's car. He opened the passenger side door to let Luna in. "Your chariot, my Queen."

"Why thank you," Luna said as she sat down in the seat.

Lincoln closed the passenger door as he walked around the front of the car and got inside the driver's side. He started up his car, turning the heater on full blast, and changing to the radio station Luna always loves to listen to. He pulled onto the street, driving back home to drop his sister off before heading to his second destination.

"I can't believe you still drive this hunk of crap," Luna said as she was adjusting the dial for the heater.

"You love this car," Lincoln stated.

"True, I just enjoy seeing you react to the insult," She said, bopping the tip of his nose with her finger.

* * *

They arrived home and entered through the front door, introduced with the sweet smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen. Luna hung up her coat on the coat rack as her and Lincoln strolled into the dining room, seeing most of their sisters digging into their meals.

"Morning guys, Leni made breakfast," Lynn said with her mouth full of food.

Lincoln and Luna walked into the kitchen, seeing Lucy frying some bacon on the stove as Leni was standing next to her, holding the bundle of joy to her shoulder. "Oohh, look who it is!"

"Momma," The little voice said from Leni's arms.

"There's my little musician," Luna said. She took her from Leni to hold her, nestling her nose in her baby's hair as she peppered her head with kisses.

"Dada, Dada," Luna's baby said, grasping toward Lincoln.

"Awww! She still thinks Linky is her daddy." Leni was hugging herself, completely overjoyed.

"Hey munchkin," Lincoln said as he placed a small kiss on her nose. It always brightened his day seeing Luna and her baby with the family. Luna was a great mother… for the most part. But sometimes seeing the little rugrat crawl around brought back dark thoughts. Back when it all happened. His whole body would fill with rage reminding himself when it happened… when Luna was… yeah. He wanted to find the bastard and kill him. They were all surprised that Luna wanted to keep the child. He still remembers her screaming at them in disgust when they offered if she wanted to take any 'alternatives'.

Luna placed the baby into her high chair as she started to give her baby food.

"Lincoln, can you give Lori her coffee? She's still in bed… That sleepy head," Leni requested, handing Lincoln the mug of coffee. "You want anything? Eggs, toast?"

"Sure thing Leni, and no I'm going to meet up with the guys at the diner before heading to work," Lincoln said as he looked around the dining room table. "Um… where's Luan?"

"Oh, she's still out. Said a 'friend' is buying her breakfast," Luna answered as she brought another spoon full of baby food to her child's mouth.

"Oh… ok then…" Lincoln sounded disappointed, feeling an ache in the pit of his stomach.

Lincoln opened the door to Lori's room quietly as he stepped inside. Lori was waking up as she was stretching, arching her back while the heels of her feet dug into the mattress. He placed the mug on her night stand beside her bed. She propped her head on her hand, looking up at Lincoln.

"What do you want twerp," Lori smirked.

"Brought you your coffee, and judging by the way you look, you need it."

"Smooth little brother. You're sure to get a girlfriend with that. But thanks… and for carrying me to bed… You really didn't have to do that." Lori covered her blushing checks as she took a sip from her coffee mug.

"It's nothing Lori. You work hard… You deserve some relaxation," Lincoln said, patting her thigh under the blanket.

"Well in that case~, you think you can give me a back rub? The chairs suck in the office."

"Can't," Lincoln didn't hesitate to say as he quickly shot up from the bed. "Got to be at work. Bring home some money with my shitty paycheck. But once I get back _maybe_ I'll see what I can do."

"I'm keeping your word on that!" Lori shouted to Lincoln as he walked out the door.

* * *

Lincoln arrived at Dave's Diner and parked, seeing the others had already arrived. He entered the diner, glancing through the window one last time to see a police car pulling into a spot. He heard Clyde call out his name and walked over. He took a seat in the booth at the corner of the diner, greeting his friends.

"Sup' Clyde, Rusty."

"Hey bro. We just ordered for you," Clyde said. Just then the officer came up to their table. They all looked up seeing the man in a black shirt and jeans, the badge hanging in front of his chest from his chain.

"Well if it ain't officer limp dick… Glad you can meet us," Clyde mocked.

"Sorry, the chief had me working overtime." He said.

"Don't sweat it… Good to see you Bobby." Lincoln said.

Once the waitress arrived with their meals, and now that everyone was her, Lincoln got to business. He pulled out the plans Sasha gave him as he handed it around the table. They huddled closer so no one could see what they were doing.

"These are the schematics for the bank. The security system isn't hard to crack so Clyde, you won't have any issues. The manager's name is Richard Wolf. Bobby see what you can get on this guy. We need him to unlock the vault so find out where this guy lives, who's his family so we can use that against him. It's a wide space so Rusty, we'll need a couple assault rifles or submachine guns." Lincoln whispered around the table.

"If we do this quick and clean, we'll face no confrontation."

"We'll get on it Linc," Rusty said.

They paid for their meal and walked out as they all headed toward their own cars. Clyde and Rusty drove off, leaving Lincoln and Bobby behind.

"So, is the force still the same as it was?" Lincoln asked Bobby.

"You know it. It's probably gotten worse," Bobby replied. "I can't believe they still let you go…"

Lincoln though back to when he was in the academy and tagging along with on duty cops. Due to the increasing number of crime and the police force's lack of officers, the city started recruiting people fresh out of high school. Lincoln was a good cop, top of his class. But what got him kicked out was because he was a 'good' cop. He was by the book, all about justice, trying to make a difference. A lot of the officers didn't like that since most of them were corrupt. He wouldn't turn a blind eye and take drug money, he wouldn't steal drugs or guns from the evidence room to sell. They felt Lincoln would be a perfect rat for internal affairs, and they couldn't have that. So, they let him go.

"I was a good cop, Bobby… and they don't like good cops."

"Hey, I'm a good cop." Bobby said, pretending to be a little offended even though most of the time he was.

"True, you are. But they still have you on a leash. They know you'll follow orders." Lincoln didn't hide the facts, even if it sounded a bit harsh to his friend.

"Yeah… you're right…" Bobby lowered his head in disappointment. It was true, he always was a lap dog. Ever since his multiple jobs he did when he was younger. He had no backbone… 'It's probably why Lori split up with me…'

"Ah don't be like that, Bobby… You have a family to take care of. We all do. Their pension is great, you don't want to lose that. I don't see you any different. Hell, look at me! I fuckin' rob and shoot people now. So just-… just watch yourself out there." Lincoln reassured.

"Heh… alright little bro, I'll see you soon." They gave each other a hug before both of them headed back to work.

* * *

Lincoln stood behind the counter, bored out of his mind, staring at the cardboard cutout of a man looking back at him. He tapped his fingers on the counter top, listening to the fainted sounds of music coming from the ceiling. A small figure then approached the counter in Lincoln's direction.

"Hello Lincoln. I'm here to pick up, please," The sweet frail voice said.

"Mrs. Vecarro! You always seem to look younger every time we meet," Lincoln complemented the old woman.

"Well aren't you so sweet, dear. How can a handsome man like you be single? You know… I have a pretty granddaughter your age that would be wonderful for you."

"Haha, I'm sure she is Mrs. Vecarro, but I'm not really looking for a girlfriend yet," Lincoln said as he placed the cooked chicken in her shopping cart.

"Well my offer still stands, if you ever fell the courage to ask her," Mrs. Vecarro said.

"I'll keep that in mind," He replied.

"Also… It's not really my place to ask but… How is your mother, Lincoln? Is she doing well?" She sounded concern.

Lincoln sighed to himself, thinking about the topic of his mother. His mother was sick in the hospital, and the doctors couldn't find what was wrong. They tried everything but still couldn't find a source. The medical bills kept coming in which affected them all a lot. It's why most of them picked up jobs. It's why Luna chose _that_ job. It's why Lincoln started robbing banks. To help out with the bills… and to get his family far away from this place. Lisa worked 24 hours a day trying to find what was wrong with their mother. But it came with a cost. None of them would see her. She was locked up in whatever lab she was in. It caused their mom much grief that she can't see all her children.

"She's… good… She's doing well," Lincoln lied. He honestly had no clue how his mother felt. But she was alive and still fighting, and that's all he cared about.

"Well you give her my best wishes. Merry Christmas, Lincoln. To you and your family, in case I don't see you," She said as she headed down the aisle to the registers.

"Yeah… Merry Christmas," He said under his chin.

Lincoln leaned back against the wall, sighing out loud when the door to the back where they cut all the meat swung open as his co-worker came out.

"Dang dude, you turned down Mrs. Vecarro's granddaughter? You know she's hot right?" His co-worker/best friend said.

"Hey Kevin… And yes, I now she's hot, but like I said, I'm not looking for anyone at the moment. I'm also a butcher in the meat department at the grocery store, soooo I don't think I'll be a catch," Lincoln said to his friend.

"Not with that attitude. Now does this mean I don't have a chance with Lynn?" Kevin asked.

"I'm not letting you date my sister," Lincoln said.

"I'm not giving up Lincoln. You'll see. I'll be a great brother-in-law."

"Whatever you say. Anyway, I'm out of here, my shifts done. Catch you later, man." Lincoln took off his apron as he walked out through the back door. He reached into his side pocket and pulled out his pack of smokes, lighting one up and taking a puff.

He started up his car and checked his watch. _'I still got time_ ,' Lincoln thought to himself. He drove around town till he turned onto a small gravel path, he drove a couple more feet till he came to a stop. He got out, hearing the sound of the small rocks under his shoes as he started walking down the snowy pathway. He came to a halt, finally reaching the spot.

"Hey Dad."

"…"

"Just wanted to stop by… say hello…"

"…"

"Everyone's doing well. Lori got a new client, Lucy won some award for a poem she sent, and Lily made the honor roll, so that's great news," Lincoln shivered as the cold air was beginning to get to him.

"We miss you dad… Mom especially." Lincoln crouched down as he wiped away any remining snow on the tombstone. He replaced he dead flowers with new ones. "Love you dad… Merry Christmas."

Lincoln started walking back to his car, his hands inside his coat pockets, trying to stay warm. He closed the door as he gripped the steering wheel tight, resting his forehead onto the wheel. He always cried when the holidays were near. He never did get use to celebrating the holidays without his father… and now without his mother as well. Lincoln sucked in a gust of air and turned the key in the ignition, starting up the engine. He sped off back home where the rest of his family was waiting for him. He need rest. He had a Big day ahead of him.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Alright! So, if you guys like robbery movies, action, sex, drugs, suspense, then this is the fic for you as we follow Lincoln's rise and fall through the criminal underworld. They'll be some Dark themes ahead of us. Now a lot of this story was inspired by (yes, a movie) "The Town", so if you loved that movie then you'll like this story… hopefully. The character Sasha was also inspired by the Russian chick from the show "Black Lagoon" and from the character 'L.' from the Fic "Can't Keep Myself Away" by BigDiesel1989, which I HIGHLY suggest you check out if you haven't already. Also, there will be some references to "Ganglouds".**

 **Now the questions remain. How did Lincoln end up working w/ Sasha and what does she do? Who is the father of Luna's child? Where is Luan? And how did Lincoln's dad die? Well we'll just have to wait and see.**


	2. Chapter 2: Paint Job

"So, you guys watch the Lion's game last night? Poor bastards got blown out," Rusty asked around as he continued to follow traffic.

Lincoln didn't pay much attention to his ginger friend next to him as he was to focused on his phone, waiting for the text message. In the back of the caravan, Bobby and Clyde were gearing up as they started to pass up Lincoln and Rusty's mask and weapon.

Days of preparation led them up to this moment, and soon they'll be in the same situation they've been in before, adding another bank to their list of crimes.

"Really, Rusty? Small talk before we risk our lives for the hundredth time?" Clyde said, pulling the black ski mask over his face and adding a pair of shades to complete his hidden identity.

"Remember guys, we're here for the lockbox. _No_ _money,_ " Lincoln emphasized, turning to look at Clyde in particular.

Rusty made a left turn down a side street before spotting the first city bank across the street. They pulled up near the bank and put the van in park as they waited for Lincoln to give them the signal.

"Did she send the text?" Bobby asked through his balaclava.

Just within seconds, Lincoln's phone pinged and he looked down to see the message that read 'green.' "Game time," Lincoln said, pulling his mask down.

Lincoln, Clyde, Bobby, and Rusty exited the parked van and quickly ran down the luckily empty street toward the bank entrance. As Clyde reached the front door, holding it open for the others, Lincoln was the first to head through and fired his gun twice in the air as Bobby quickly tazed the security guard, knocking him down and zip-tying his hands behind his back.

"DOWN, EVERYBODY DOWN!" Lincoln shouted in a Spanish accent.

The small amount of people inside the bank screamed and ducked in panic as Bobby, Rusty, and Clyde started to demand everyone to get down, pointing their guns at them.

"Don't you fucking move, cabrón!" Bobby shouted, standing over a man lying on the floor.

As Bobby and the others were busy trying to keep everyone under control, Lincoln looked around trying to spot the bank manager. His luck payed off when he saw the manager try to make a run for his office.

Lincoln took off, charging trough the lobby before grabbing the bank manager just as he was reaching for the door handle. Lincoln pulled the manager's left arm behind him and held him in a head lock as Clyde came over with an envelope.

He ripped open the envelope and pulled out a bunch of papers, showing the struggling manager. He looked in fright as Clyde flipped through each page, showing the manager printed photos of his home and family, that were posted on his facebook page.

"Do it for them, Richard," Lincoln told him before yanking him over to the vault.

The bank manager opened the vault and stood in place as Lincoln held the shotgun to his face and demanded for the safe lock key. Once Lincoln got the key, he started searching for the right lockbox while Clyde watched the manager. But while Clyde made sure the manager didn't make any sudden movements, he noticed the cart full of stacked bills, unprotected. Clyde did a double take, seeing Lincoln busy unlocking the safe, and unzipped his bag, tossing a few bricks of cash inside before Lincoln called him over and placed the lockbox inside Clyde's bag.

 _*All units be advised. Report of a robbery in progress at the First City Bank.*_ The police scanner said in Lincoln's earpiece. That was their sign to leave.

Lincoln tied the manager's hands to the bars of the vault before following Clyde running out. As they entered the lobby of the bank, Lincoln gave the hand signal to Rusty and Bobby that they were done here.

They all dashed out of the bank and ran back to their van, jumping inside and starting it up before speeding off down the street.

"Wooo! That's what I'm talking about, baby!" Rusty celebrated as he slammed his hand repeatedly on his armrest.

"Holy crap, I can't believe that just happened," Bobby sighed in relief, baffled that they managed to get away with no issues from the police.

Lincoln made a sharp right around a corner as he swerved in and out of traffic, and blowing through all the traffic lights. He spotted the ramp to get them on the freeway which would be their home free ticket, but just as Lincoln speed up, Clyde's bag started to release a cloud of smoke before a dye pack blew up, filling the entire inside of the van with red smoke.

"What the fuck?!" Bobby yelled out, shielding his eyes from the blast of smoke.

Everyone inside the van started shouting in panic as Lincoln tried to do his best to see through the windshield which was covered by a thick cloud of red smoke.

"I can't see shit!" Lincoln shouted as he dodged incoming traffic. Clyde and Bobby opened the sliding doors to let the smoke clear out as Rusty instructed Lincoln to not decelerate. But as Lincoln drove threw the red light right before their exit, a car crashed into the back, left side of the van causing them to spin out.

Lincoln and the rest of the crew all hopped out of the van as they looked around, trying to find a way out this situation. As Bobby and Rusty were busy arguing, Clyde was digging through his bag trying to find the lockbox while Lincoln came up with a new escape plan.

"Rusty, make some noise! Get these people back!" Lincoln ordered.

Rusty jumped on top of the hood of a car and started to open fire in the crowd of cars, purposely missing. Drivers and passengers started exiting their cars, running and ducking to try to get away from the scene.

While all this was going on, Lincoln stood in front of an oncoming car and aimed his gun at the driver, causing him to slam on his brakes. Lincoln ordered the driver to step out as he slowly walked around the SUV and opened the driver-side door. The driver got out with his hands up, and Lincoln instructed him to walk to the side where Lincoln told the man to get on his knees and don't move.

The sound of police sirens could be heard in the distance, getting louder by the second, indicating they were getting close. Lincoln knew they had to leave now or possibly end up in a shootout, and none of them wanted that.

"Alright, Rusty, that's enough! Let's move!" Lincoln shouted as he jumped into the driver's seat.

Rusty hopped down from the car and followed Bobby to the stolen vehicle. Remembering the plan in case something like this happened, Clyde rushed over to the trunk of their van and opened it, spotting the homemade explosive attached to a jerrycan. He activated the timer and closed the trunk as he ran back to the SUV.

Once everyone was in and the package was secure, Lincoln put the vehicle in reverse just as the explosion went off, the wrecked van going up in flames. Under the cover of the blast, Lincoln slammed on the gas and skidded off down the street.

* * *

After an intense ride, Lincoln pulled up toward a garage in the abandon factory district, and honked the horn a couple times. The garage door started to slide up as Lincoln drove inside and put the vehicle in park.

"Rocky, shut the door before someone spots us," Lincoln said as he got out of the driver's seat and slammed the door, frustrated.

Rocky slammed his palm on the red button, causing the garage door to come back down. He turned around and watched as the others stepped out of the SUV, curious to why they were all covered in red paint and in a different vehicle.

"What happened to you guys?" Rocky asked.

"I don't know, why don't you ask _Clyde_ ," Rusty said as he stripped off his bulletproof vest, placing it on the table along with a row of guns.

"How the heck was I supposed to know there was a dye pack in the money?!" Clyde argued back, also taking off his stained clothes.

"The money was in plain sight! They do that so dumb fucks like you would take it and get caught!" Rusty shouted as he confronted Clyde.

"Oh, well I'm sorry. I was just looking out for us! Making sure we all had money in our pockets so we can survive in this dump!" Clyde announced, looking around at each of his close friends. "We wouldn't be in this mess if that bitch would pay us enough!"

"Ok, we get it!" Lincoln said, breaking up the argument. "This whole situation is messed up. But we have the package, and we're all alive. Let's just put this behind us and move on."

On the inside, Lincoln was just as mad as Rusty, but he had to make sure everyone here was cool-headed. He had to keep the peace and remind them that even though they all make mistakes, that they were all best friends and needed to stick together in order for them to survive.

It seemed to work as Rusty and Clyde decided to drop the conversation and separate to do their own things. As everyone was changing and cleaning up, Bobby got a text from one of his co-workers, telling him he was needed.

"Hey guys? Duty calls," Bobby said as he held up his phone, telling them he had to return to the other part of his life.

"Go do your thing, _officer_ ," Lincoln teased as he threw on his hoodie. "Just don't act too suspicious."

Bobby tossed on his badge around his neck and walked out of the garage to his parked car and drove off to where he was needed, leaving Lincoln, Clyde, and the Spokes brothers behind.

"Now then, Rusty, hide the guns for now until your dad comes by to pick them up. And Clyde, take the clothes and burn them in the back. It's still your fault we're in this predicament so you can clean it up," Lincoln told them.

"What about you?" Clyde asked.

"I have to see if Lana can scrap down this car at the mechanic shop without asking too many questions. Then I have to deliver the package to Sasha and hope she doesn't try and kill us. Why? Do you want to deal with her?"

"No," Clyde answered, returning to the task he was given.

"That's what I thought," Lincoln said as he got back into the stolen vehicle and backed out as he heard Rocky unlock the garage door. "I'll see you guys later."

* * *

Back at the bank, the police blocked off the surrounding area while an investigation was on the way and to keep bystanders back as news reporters were quick to show up to report what had occurred. Bobby had arrived in his police cruiser and walked over to the scene of the crime as a fellow officer raised the police tape for him so he could duck under.

"Sup, Bobby. The lieutenant wants you. He should be inside," The officer greeted.

"Thanks, man," Bobby said as he headed inside the bank.

He thought it was pretty ironic that just moments ago he was here robbing this place to end up returning, only this time to help find out what had happened. He was definitely on edge, fearing one of the victims in the bank might recognize him or his voice. But he kept telling himself to relax and stay calm; just like Lincoln said, _'act natural'_.

Bobby walked into the lobby as he saw a couple detectives taking statements from the victims while another was taking photos of the shotgun shells Lincoln had fired into the air. He was then brought back to the present when his lieutenant called him over.

"Santiago, glad you can make it in. Can you believe this mess? This is the fifth bank in just a year," He said as him and Bobby started to walk.

"Times are tough, sir. People are obviously desperate," Bobby said, presenting the scene around him for emphasis.

"I'm just getting too old for this shit," His lieutenant commented. "Anyway, the reason I called you here is because I got a new assignment for you."

"Uh, you know these kinds of things aren't technically my department?"

"Don't worry. You'll only be helping out the guy that's doing most of the work," the lieutenant joked as he led Bobby into the vault to met the lone man investigating the only open lockbox. "Here he is, Blake. The man I was telling you about. Bobby, this is Special Agent Bradley. He'll be leading the investigation for all these robberies."

"Nice to meet ya, kid," Agent Bradley said, shacking Bobby's hand.

"This is Bobby Santiago of the Detroit Gang Unit," The lieutenant said. "Bobby, any information this man needs you give him, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to come up with some bullshit to tell these reporters."

As the lieutenant left, Bobby stepped over to Blake who was looking around the vault for any more evidence.

"So… what exactly is it you need, Mr. Bradley," Bobby asked, feeling awkward.

"Blake is fine, Bobby. And don't worry, I know you'll miss chasing and getting shot at by a gang bangers' so I won't intrude," Blake joked. "But If I'm gonna narrow my search on these guys… or girls, I'm gonna need some info. And since I was told that you know the ins-and-outs of these streets, you were my first pick."

"Well, I don't know about all that, but if they say I'm your guy then I guess I'm your guy… So, what do know so far?" Bobby asked, looking around the vault as well. He was starting to worry if he might have found something important but knowing Lincoln, Bobby knew he wouldn't make any mistakes… but then there was Clyde.

"The victims said the suspects were speaking Spanish. You know any Hispanic gangs in the area that could have done this… cartels?"

"Eh, robbing banks ain't really the cartels thing," Bobby said as he thought of other criminal organizations. "There are the Incas, a local Hispanic street gang that's been acting up. It could be them… What about the lockbox? You know what they stole?"

"I ran the name of the owner and it came back unknown so they used a fake name. As for the contents in the box… I have no idea. The bank manager doesn't even know… or he was paid to not know if you catch my drift."

"Well, all the kingpins I know are either in prison or dead so I can't help you there," Bobby said before he heard his name being called behind him and telling him a call just went out. "I-Is there anything else you need or…?"

"Thanks for your help, Bobby but I got it from here. I'll see you later at the office," Blake said, letting Bobby go. He started to hurry over toward the officer just when Kirk called him one last time. "And Bobby?! We're going to catch these guys."

Bobby didn't like how confident he said that, bringing his worries back. Bobby made a mental note to look up who this guy was and see if this Agent Blake Bradley guy was a threat to him and the others. He just put on a fake smile and nodded before leaving.

* * *

After dropping off the stole SUV at the mechanic shop Lana worked at, and finally convincing her to accept the car without raising too much suspicion, Lincoln took a cab to 'The Den' to meet Sasha. Once he was dropped off, Lincoln walked toward the back entrance where he saw once of Sasha's goons leaning against the wall as he took his smoke break.

"How is she?" Lincoln asked as he approached the man.

"She's seen better days," He stated, taking another huff from his cigarette.

"Wonderful…" Lincoln said in a miserable tone.

"Good luck," The man said as he opened the back door for Lincoln, letting him inside to meet his unavoidable doom.

As soon as Lincoln stepped inside, he quickly ducked as a glass bottle came flying past his left ear, crashing against the wall as a woman shouted ' _where is he!_ '. He looked back in front of him to see Sasha, and judging by her heavy breathing, Lincoln guessed she already found out what happened and wasn't too happy about it.

"I didn't think you'd miss me that much," Lincoln teased, trying to lighten the mood even though he knew it never worked.

"What the fuck happened?!" Sasha demanded once she heard Lincoln's voice.

"I know you're upset but let me-"

"You're damn right I'm upset! I'm fuckin livid! You told me there would be no complications. You gave me your _word_ … I told you _no money_ ," She said, standing behind her desk and staring daggers at Lincoln.

"I know," Lincoln said as he started to walk toward her. "But Clyde-"

"CLYDE! I should have known that little vermin was behind this!" Sasha rambled on, pacing back and forth. "I've given him too many chances. When I get my hands-"

"SASHA!" Lincoln said, grabbing her attention. She paused and stared at Lincoln in shock as if she was having a flashback. Lincoln returned the same look as he just realized what he had just done. Sasha was feared amongst the other crime syndicates and street gangs in Michigan. No one dared to challenge her. No one, but Lincoln that is. He made that mistake once, showing his dominance over her. And what scared him the most was that Sasha did nothing about it. "I… I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No…" Sasha said, clearing her throat as she fixed the smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress shirt which were caused by her rage fueled rampage. If only she could button up the rest of her shirt, Lincoln thought. "You're right… Continue."

Lincoln mentally let out a sigh of relief as he took a seat in front of Sasha's desk. "I know things didn't go as according to plan… and you are obviously mad at me… but we at least have to package, and that's all that matters."

"I can never be mad at you _my love_ ," Sasha said as she took the package from Lincoln's hand and thanked him, looking deep in his eyes she admired so much. "*sigh* But I am mad that I'll be on damage control for the next week."

"You do have most of the police under your payroll, but…" Lincoln was going to regret saying this but he needed to keep him and his friends on her good side. "If I can make it up to you somehow…"

"Careful, Lincoln, you know I can be a _dangerous_ woman~," She said in a sultry tone before turning around in her chair to grab another envelope of money to give to Lincoln. "Here's your payment as promised."

"It's light," Lincoln told her, feeling the weight of the envelope in his hand. He's done enough jobs for her to know exactly how much they should be paid and how much it weighed. "Let me guess… Compensation for the 'reckless' behavior?"

"Yours, Roberto's, and the ginger's payment is all accounted for… It's Clyde's that I cut. Hopefully he will learn to behave," She said as she got up and walked slowly around her desk, stopping behind Lincoln and leaned forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders, her lips centimeters away from his ear. " _I train my dogs to obey. And I always give my good boys a treat…~ Isn't that right, Lincoln?"_

Lincoln shivered at her tone of voice and hot breath hitting back of his neck. But he couldn't show type of emotion. She loved to get a reaction from her favorite "pet" but Lincoln never gave her the satisfaction. She just figured he was playing hard to get which she enjoyed as well.

"He's not going to be happy about that. This is the exact reason why he took the money," Lincoln told her as she returned to her seat.

"He can earn the rest later. In the meantime, you and your little friends lay low for awhile till this whole situation dies down. I'm going to make a few calls," Sasha said, dismissing Lincoln.

He got up and exited through her office door, now standing inside the gentlemen's club. It wasn't busy since it was still in the afternoon so Lincoln decided to grab a quick drink, knowing he won't have to deal with any obnoxious patrons.

As he walked out of the hall toward the bar, Lincoln stopped in his tracks as he noticed the attractive young lady sitting alone at the bar with her empty glass. She was wearing a short black dress that hugged her body perfectly with a pair of matching heels that strapped around her ankles. Her hair was in a ponytail and her eyeliner was a bit smudged, giving Lincoln the impression that she had been crying.

She looked miserable, so empty inside. And Lincoln knew it to be true. It wouldn't be the first time he's seen her sitting there like that. Every time he saw her caused his heart to ache, and make his blood boil. But it also reminded him why he was doing all this… who he was doing it for.

He let out a deep sigh before he continued his journey to the bar, approaching the stool next to the young lady.

"Mind if I join you?"

"I guess I can use a friend," She said after a small pause. "But if you want to talk, it'll cost you."

"Heh, into the quiet types huh? Well, you're in luck. I'm not really in the mood to chat," Lincoln joked back as he took his seat next to the woman. They both sat at the bar in silence for a couple seconds, but with his fearful thoughts returning, Lincoln couldn't stay quiet any longer. "You had me worried about you the other day… I didn't see you during breakfast."

"I'm fine, Lincoln…" Luan said, finally looking up at him. "Sorry about that. I should have told you. But like I told Luna, I was with a friend…"

"… And did this _friend_ hurt you?" Lincoln asked with a hint of anger as he noticed bruise marks around Luan's wrists. He knew he shouldn't have brought it up since Luan didn't like to talk about her 'friends', but seeing something like this set Lincoln off the edge.

Luan looked at her wrists and became self-conscious as she brought her bracelet down her wrist to cover up one of the marks. She knew she should have worn long sleeves.

"I'm _fine_ , Linc. No one hurt me," She answered, getting a bit annoyed of her brother's over protectiveness but still appreciating his concern. "… Some guys just like to play… rough."

Lincoln just let out a sigh as he looked back down at the bar table in defeat. Ever since Lincoln and his sisters learned about their financial problems, they all made the choice to find jobs to make ends meet. But Lincoln would have never imagined the route Luan would take that she was still currently in.

She was an escort.

Something that only him, Luna… and Leni knew about. Lincoln had a feeling Lucy also knew along with Lynn, and Lori who he figured only had a suspicion, but everyone else was clueless, and he wanted it to stay that way.

Lincoln tried everything he could to prevent Luan from doing it, but when he found out that Sasha had pretty much trapped her like she did with him, he knew there wasn't much he could do. But Lincoln knew he would make the split decision to kill _anyone_ who even tried to hurt her. And Luan knew he would too. She's seen what would happen when that line is crossed.

"I… I just care about you, Luan."

"And I'm grateful for that, Linc. If I ever need anything, I can come to you. But I can handle myself just fine. You of all people should know," Luan said, getting a chuckle of approval from him. "Besides, the guy wasn't a threat at all… Poor guy couldn't even last a minute."

"Jeez, thanks for that image," Lincoln mocked. He really didn't want to hear about his sister's client's performance, but see as she smiling, laughing at the guy's misfortunes, he decided to go along with it.

"Sweet guy though. Bought me dinner, acted nervous the entire time, stayed in a really fancy hotel room. He obviously has money. Want me to give you his name so you can rob him?" Luan saying that last part as a joke, elbowing Lincoln in his side a few times.

"I'm good, thanks. But I'll let you know if I change my mind," Lincoln joked back.

The tension in the air seem to have vanished as Lincoln and Luan continued to chat. It was one of those rare moments where they actually didn't mind staying in this hellhole, ignoring all the problems this place had brought upon them. It didn't take long however, for their moment to be ruined as a gentleman in the back started to call for Luan.

"Hey, beautiful, over here!" The man called out with a smile, trying to wave her over.

Lincoln ignored the man, but Luan knew he wasn't going to stop so she looked over her shoulder to politely decline the man's offer. "Sorry, buddy, already got a man."

She looked back at Lincoln to return to their conversation, adding a few side comments making fun of the guy before the man got up and called her again, this time walking up to them. The man just couldn't get the message.

"Hey, I just want to know if you're free. Maybe I can show you a fun time?" The man flirted. He was well-dressed, wearing a business suit. Luan figured it was another one of these rich egotistical executives that was married but couldn't be satisfied with just one woman.

"Like I said, I'm with someone, ok?" Luan did her best to be polite, but this guy was really testing her patients.

"What, this nobody?" The man said, pointing at Lincoln. "Come on, babe, let's ditch this place. I can double whatever this scrub paid you."

Lincoln just ignored the man as he continued to stare at his glass drink.

"Then find someone else. I'm fine right here," Luan told the man.

"You sure about that? You don't seem like you're having fun."

"Hey, man, the lady doesn't want to go, alright? Leave her alone," Lincoln interjected nonchalantly, glancing over at the man next to him.

"Hey, pal, I'm not talking to you," The man exclaimed, looking angrily at Lincoln. "Do you know who I am? I can fucking buy _and_ sell you and this whore-"

Luan knew it was coming once she heard the man say it, and she was right as Lincoln in a flash stood up from his stool and grabbed the man from the back of his head and slammed it hard against the bar table, holding it there as Lincoln flipped his switchblade and held it against the man's neck.

"Do you know who I am?" Lincoln asked, whispering in his ear. "I can kill you _and_ make it look like an accident."

"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" A feminine voice said. Lincoln looked up to see Sasha in front of them with two of her bodyguards standing behind her. Her expression looked normal, but Lincoln knew it was never that simple. One of them was going to get scolded or punished for sure.

"Not at all, ma'am. He was just leaving," Lincoln said as he slowly let go of the man, putting his knife back in his pocket.

"My apologies, sir. My acquaintance can be rowdy at times. Please, let me treat you to another one of our girls. Free of charge," Sasha offered.

The man fixed himself up and thanked her as he followed one of Sasha's bodyguards to a backroom. Lincoln had a strong guess that _he_ was the one that was going to get punished until he noticed Sasha call Ivan, her right-hand man, over her shoulder with her finger as she kept her eyes on the man.

"Teach him how to properly treat a woman," She ordered as Ivan grunted, understanding her command and followed him in the backroom.

Lincoln looked at Sasha and nodded in thanks as he decided now was a good time to head back home. He grabbed Luan's winter coat and helped his sister put it on before offering his arm to her and started to walk to the main exit. As the walked, Lincoln and Luan past the backroom that the man and Sasha's goons went in and could hear the man groaning in agony. Lincoln was glad he wasn't in his position.

"Sorry about that. I know I… overreacted," Lincoln apologized as he held the backdoor to the cab for Luan before following her in and telling the driver to head to Franklin Ave.

"That you did, little brother," Luan said, resting her head on Lincoln's shoulder, enjoying the peaceful ride. "… But thanks."

* * *

They arrived back home, happy that they could both finally relax. Sasha was surprisingly generous enough to give Lincoln _and_ Luan a couple days off. Of course, Lincoln understood his reason since he and the guys probably made national news, but Lincoln now-a-days never really had a 'day off'. There was his real job he still had to do, and then there was any maintenance around the house he remembered as he looked around the front lawn. He was at least glad they hadn't been hit with a sever snowstorm. Lincoln hated the bitter cold Michigan weather.

Lincoln unlocked the front door as Luan and him entered, being met with their younger siblings running around and arguing while the others were gathered in the living room watching TV.

Oh, and then there was helping his sisters with whatever they were up to, Lincoln remembered. _"Ah, the joys of being the only brother."_

Luan and Lincoln were greeted at the doorway as Lincoln, being the gentleman he is, took Luan's coat of her and placed it on the rack along with his. She placed a quick peck on Lincoln's cheek, thanking him again for standing up for her before departing upstairs to change out of her 'revealing' dress. Lincoln joined the others in the living room to see what they were doing.

"Hey, guys. What's everyone looking at?"

"Bro, didn't you hear?! Another bank got robbed. The guys later ended up shooting into a crowd of people near the freakin' highway! Man, I wish I was there to see it all go down," Lynn said with excitement.

" _No,_ you don't, Lynn," Lori said, warning her to cut it out. "Heaven forbid you got caught in the middle of that and got hurt."

"It does sound pretty cool though," Lucy added, agreeing with Lynn.

Lori just rolled her eyes as she returned her focus back on the TV and switched to a different channel. She didn't like to watch the news with how everything is going now, especially when Lily was in the room. Lily wasn't naïve of today's current state, but Lori didn't want her to feel accustom with it. She just wanted Lily to have a normal life, and not focus on the negatives. Lori just wanted for things to go back to the way they use to.

"Damn… well, I'm sure glad I wasn't there," Lincoln said before greeting Lana who decided to join them in the living room.

"Hey, Lincoln, you got some red paint on your shoe," Lana pointed out. "You a painter now or something?"

Lincoln looked down at his shoe and cursed himself, seeing he missed a spot. "Uh… Y-yeah, kind of. Clyde needed some help painting his basement so I stopped by," Lincoln told her. He developed a great skill at convincing his sisters where he's been while actually out doing a job with the guys, but it was starting to become difficult as some of his sisters were getting wiser.

Lynn and Lori gave Lincoln a questionable look, but his saving grace came to rescue him as he heard the cries of a baby coming from upstairs.

"Excuse me, ladies, but it sounds like someone is hungry." Lincoln left with Luna following, having to attend to her child.

"Yeah, that's probably a good cue for me to start prepping dinner," Lori said as she got up from the couch to head into the kitchen to begin cooking.

In the dinning room, the Loud family or what remained of the ones that still lived at home, were all gathered around the dinner table, enjoying their meal as they talked and laughed amongst one another. Lincoln looked around the table with a faint smile on his face, seeing that even though times were tough for them, they could all still find a time to act like their former selves.

It was like if the outside world meant nothing to them. They were living in the moment, ignoring all their troubles. Lana was playing with her food trying to gross out Lola, like she always did as a kid. Luna and Lynn were having a contest to see who can chug their drink down the fastest as Luan, Lucy, and Lily cheered them on. And Leni playing peekaboo with Luna's baby as she giggled on Lori's lap.

Lincoln was amazed how his sisters can go from being stressed out from working so hard to being the wild and loud sisters he's grown up with. He was one to talk as Lincoln's own personal life was like a switch. One moment you're a notorious bank robber, working with one of the most feared crime bosses in Detroit, and the next, you're enjoying a lovely dinner with your family as if nothing had happened.

Life was a strange and dangerous thing in Lincoln's book.

By the time everyone was done with their meal, and the table was cleared, most of the Loud sisters returned to the living room to watch some TV or called it in for the night. Lincoln had joined his sisters on the couch and let out a sigh of relief as he plopped down next to Lily. He couldn't wait to finally get a full night's rest, now that he was free from his "boss's" orders. And what better way to start his free time than spending some quality time with his sisters.

As they continued watching TV, another commercial popped on screen, earning a yawn from Lynn who then announced that she was clocking out and heading to bed. Lincoln checked the time on the clock above their fireplace and remembered he had one last thing to do before the day ends. He stood up and stretched his back before walking to the kitchen, seeing Leni drying up the dishes.

"Hey, Linky," Leni said in her cheerful voice as she placed another plate in the drying rack. She hadn't change much through the years other than her hair was longer and filled up in all the right places, still holding on to the title as one of the most attractive girls in all of Royal Woods. She was also still her caring, optimistic self. But Lincoln knew she still had her moments… Leni had been through a lot after their father passed away.

"Hey, Leni. I have to step out real quick, but I'll be back," Lincoln said as he grabbed the keys to his car.

"Ok, Lincoln. Drive safe," Leni replied.

Lincoln went out through the backdoor and walked down their driveway, passing old Vanzilla. Lori hated drive the old family van to work, but it still held up and Lori didn't have to worry about it getting stolen since on one in their right mind would want that piece of junk.

Lincoln then walked around his 'piece of junk' car and got in, starting her up. He made sure his rear-view mirror was correct, checked if any suspicious people were lurking around his neighborhood, and took off.

* * *

About a half an hour later, Lincoln arrived to his destination and walked through the automatic sliding doors, seeing people sitting around and moping. He hated hospitals.

He took of his beanie and put inside his jacket pocket as he walked up to one of the nurses behind the desk. "Uh, hey. I was wondering if I can see a Rita Loud?"

" _Lincoln_ … you know visiting hours are over," The nurse said.

"I know, Patti, but it's my mom. Can't you let this slide one last time? Please… For me?" Lincoln asked, giving the nurse sad puppy eyes.

She gave him a long scolding look before finally shaking her head with a small smirk appearing on her face. "Fine… you can go. _But_ , don't stay too long, you hear me?"

"Thanks, Nurse Patti. You're the best. And say hi to Mr. Pacowski for me!" Lincoln said as he rushed over to the elevator. She just kept shaking her head and grinning as she watched him enter the elevator.

"Nine years and I still can't say no to those cute puppy eyes," Nurse Patti said to herself, returning to her work.

The elevator doors opened as Lincoln stepped out, arriving on his floor. He started to walk down one of the hallways, reading each number on the door as he got closer to the room his mom was in. As Lincoln was approaching the door to his mother's, a cop came exiting out one of the rooms and started to walk toward him.

Lincoln's heart rate began to speed up as every step they both took felt like it was in slow motion. All noise seemed to slip away except for the small chatter coming from the officer's radio. Lincoln's mind was all over the place. Was this it? Did they finally catch up to him and learn who he _really_ was? He wondered if he was going to have to fight his way out and make a run for it. Lincoln felt his hand slightly creep around toward the right side of his waistband but remembered that he wasn't armed. He never brought his gun when visiting his mom.

' _It looks like I'll have to go hand-in-hand.'_

But as they both came inches away from each other, and stared into each other's eyes, the officer just smiled and nodded as he walked past Lincoln, going on his way.

 _*sigh*_

After Lincoln's 'close encounter', he quietly opened the door to his mother's room and walked in, spotting his mom resting in the medical bed, wide awake, watching TV.

She looked good, Lincoln thought.

"Hey, mom. Sorry, I know it's late," Lincoln said as he closed the door behind him.

"Lincoln! I'm so glad to see you. It's never too late to see my baby boy. Come here," Rita said happily as she patted the space on her bed, telling Lincoln to come over. He grabbed a spare chair in the corner of the room and brought it over to the side of her bed as he took a seat. "How are you, honey?"

"I'm good, mom. Ya know… holding the fort down, and stuff," Lincoln told her.

"And how are the girls? Not giving you too much trouble, are they?" Rita joked, getting a small chuckle from her son.

"Heh, no mom, they're not giving me _too much_ trouble. But they're good… they're all good," Lincoln said as he took his mother's hand in his own, rubbing his thumb over it. "What about you, mom? How are you doing?"

"Always trying to turn the topic around about me," Rita laughed. "I'm doing well, sweetie. My energy is getting better and I'm walking around more, but I'm not a hundred percent yet."

"That's good to hear, mom. I knew you were the strongest one in the family," Lincoln said. He brought her hand up to his cheek and held it there, placing a kiss in her palm. He kept on holding it there, basking in the comfort of his mother's touch. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too, Lincoln," Rita said as she cupped her son's cheek, wiping a small tear with her thumb. She looked at her son and admired how much he's grown into a handsome young man. "Look at my baby… all grown up now, doing all he can for his mother and sisters. Your father would be so proud of you, Lincoln."

Lincoln felt his heart tighten at the mention of his dad since the memory was still fresh in his mind. He was devastated when his father died. He didn't know how to cope with it in the beginning. He felt lost. And now with his mom sick, Lincoln didn't know what he would do with out her. He couldn't lose her too.

"… We'll get through this, mom. We'll find a cure," Lincoln said, holding in his emotions as he leaned closer into his mom's hand.

Rita placed a kiss on his forehead, doing all she could to comfort her son. "I know we will, honey."

There was a long pause as Rita turned her gaze back up at the TV screen mounted on the wall, enjoying her son's presence. Her kids visited her nearly every day, checking up on her or wanting to just spend some time together. There were even times where Rita would forget she was in a hospital, having too much fun with her family. But sometimes it did break her heart to see her kids see her like this.

"Can you believe this?" Rita asked, getting Lincoln's attention again. He saw her watching the TV and looked up to see the news about the bank heist that occurred hours ago. It showed a recording on a phone of them shooting in the street. Lincoln never got use to seeing himself on the news. "Animals… Things have really changed for the worse around here."

"I know how you feel. I still get worry when Lily wants to ride her bike in the park."

"So many people turning to crime to survive… But not my babies. We do it the right way, even if it's harder. Right, honey?" Rita said, turning to Lincoln with a small smile. It melted his heart and he felt like garbage knowing he was one of those _animals_.

"… Right, mom."

Rita covered her mouth as she started to yawn, feeling her eyelids getting heavy. Lincoln helped her lay down, resting her head on her pillow, and placed a goodnight kiss on her cheek.

"Get well soon, mom. I love you," Lincoln said, giving her a genuine smile.

"I love you too, honey. Tell the others I love them too," Rita said, returning the smile.

"Will do, mom."

Once Rita fell asleep, Lincoln walked back to the door and gently opened it, trying not to disturb his mother. Halfway through the doorway, Lincoln stopped and turned around to look at his mom, sleeping peacefully. He hated to see her trapped in this place. And he hated it more that he was lying to her. But he had to go down that path. He had no choice. Lincoln still had morals, he still had a good cause. He was doing this for her, his family. Lincoln wasn't turning back now.

"I'm doing this for us, mom… I won't let you down."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **The bank scene is from the movie _Triple 9_ which I recommend if you like crime movies.**

 **So now we know what Luan's been up to. Kind of a messed up occupation but I'm trying make this a dark story so be prepared for the most of these characters having terrible lives. If all goes well, things will get a lot more tragic as the story progresses. Please let me know what you all think so far. It's greatly appreciated!**


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